WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Saturday against Wake Forest, Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith played as well as advertised.
But unexpected contributors Ryan Kelly, Tyler Thornton and Miles Plumlee fueled No. 4 Duke (18-1, 5-1 in the ACC) to a comfortable 83-59 win against the ACC’s last-ranked team. The victory snapped a two-game losing streak by Duke in Winston-Salem.
“Ryan Kelly was perfect,” head coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “20 points on six shots, that’s pretty effective. He’s a really reliable player and doesn’t get flustered…. And I think he’s becoming more aggressive with his shot.”
Singler and Smith posted their usual output, finishing with 24 and 19 points, respectively. A well-prepared defensive strategy by Wake Forest (7-13, 0-5), though, limited the duo’s ability to attack the basket early on and left Kelly free to take open shots.
And he didn’t miss.
Kelly scored the first basket of the game for the Blue Devils on a put-back layup and finished 4-for-4 from behind the arc on his way to a career-high in scoring. The sophomore forward spaced the floor to create open shooting opportunities when the Demon Deacons clogged the paint.
While Kelly has emerged as a scoring threat due to his strong perimeter play, Thornton and Plumlee provided a much-needed spark off the bench on both sides of the court.
“Thornton and Miles Plumlee really turned the game around for us,” Krzyzewski said. “Their energy was unbelievable. Tyler’s pressure on the ball really helped…. Our defense was a lot better in the second half, and a lot of it had to do with Tyler.”
Thornton, who played a season-high 22 minutes, disrupted the Demon Deacons’ offense by blocking passing lanes and inhibiting their guards from driving to the basket. His intensity frazzled Wake Forest’s guards while generating turnovers that led to fast break scoring opportunities in the second half.
In the past few games, the freshman guard has also shown he can assume ball-handling responsibilities. With Kyrie Irving sidelined with a toe injury, Thornton provides a solid backup to Nolan Smith and gives the senior much needed rest while maintaining strong on-ball pressure.
Like Thornton and Kelly, Plumlee helped jump start the Blue Devils en route to their convincing victory. With less than three minutes in the first half, the junior forward made an impressive one-handed dunk in transition before blocking a shot on the next possession, which led to a quick layup by Smith.
“Miles Plumlee has had two really great games in a row,” Krzyzewski said. “When he is talking, he is just better…. He is such a good athlete.”
Taking a more proactive role, Plumlee has shown spurts of improving play this season due to his athleticism and physical presence under the basket. As the team has faced difficulties with interior defense, the older Plumlee may find himself as the player relegated to compete with aggressive big men while helping teammates with weak side defense.
Kelly’s shooting and Plumlee and Thornton’s defense helped Duke to overcome an at-times stagnant first half, in which the Blue Devils held only a nine-point lead over the ACC’s doormat.
Duke found its stride, though, and put on two strong offensive runs late in the contest, including a 15-0 effort, to end the game on a high note.
“I’m really happy with my team and how [it] responded to Wake’s great preparation,” Krzyzewski said. “Road wins in this league, if you look it up, man, they’re hard to come by.”
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